Governor



Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

3 UNITED STATES PATENT WARREN B. FLAL TDERS, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANLA.

GOVERNOR.

Application filed November 24, 1920. Serial No. 426,159.

vTo all whom it may concern: k Be it known that I, WARREN-B. FLANDERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of BfPhila'delphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Governors,- of which the following is a specification. y

My invention relates to governors, particularly of the fly-ball and spring type, and has forits object to provide apparatus of the character designated which shall be capable of operating at different speeds but with substantially a constant percentage of re ulation.

' n sprin loaded governors, as heretofore co'nstructe the common practice has been to provide means for varying the compression of the spring in order to adapt the zogovernor for the performance of its overning function at different speeds. he glifiiculty with a governor of this type is {that the percentage ofregulation varies, that is, for high speeds the regulation is either too small or the governor becomes isochro- "nous, and for low speeds, the percentage of regulation becomes too great. In order to overcomethis difficulty, I have provided an abutmentor supporting member for one end of the spring which coacts with the convolutions thereof in such wise that when the spring is adjusted for predetermined speeds the scale thereof is correspondingly i changed so as to maintain substantially conafstant the percentage of regulation. Preferably, I employ anut with convolutions so 'arr 'anged that, as the spring is compressed, agreater helical length thereof comes in contact with the nut, thereby decreasing the effective face or helical length of the spring. Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompan ing drawings, forming a part of this app ication, in which:

Fig. 1' is a side elevation with the parts shown 7 in my invention, and

igure 2 is a detail view partly in section of the apparatus embodying my improvement.

In the drawing, a

46 of a governor,

in section, illustratgovernor shaft 10 is operatively connected in an suitable manner with a prime mover w ose speed it is desired to, control, the upper end of said shaft being threaded to an amount suflicient length of the spring comes in contact with to allow the threaded nut 12 a wide range of operation in compressing or releasin the helical spring13' of uniform pitch. ear in against the threaded nut 12, is a convoluted abutment or nut member 14, slidably mounted upon the governor shaft 10, and the periphery of this nut member is provided with a helical groove 15 of varying pitch in which traverse the upper coils of the helical spring 13, the base of said spring resting upon the flanged base 16 which is also slidably mounted uponithe governor shaft 10. Effective pressure is exerted upon the base 16 by the rollers 17 of arms 18 or other equivalent means, pivoted at 19to a yoke 20 provided with governorweights 21 which, by their rotat on, exert an effective force upon the sprin 13, through the arms .18, rollers 17 and %)ase. 16. The yoke or support 20 is attached to the shaft 10 in the usual manner. The reciprocating sleeve 22' is connected to the arms 18 by the links 23. Motion is transmitted to the inlet valve-24, or other speed controlling element, by a lever 25, non-rotatingly connected in any suitable manner to the reciprocating sleeve 22.. i

From the construction above set forth, it will be seen that, as the tension of the spring 13 is increased by adjusting the nut 12, the convolutions of the abutment or nut mem her 14 engage the co'nvolutions of the spring progressively. In other words, as the tension is increased, an increasing helical the nut thereby resulting, in a decrease of the effective face-or helical length of the spring.

The operation of m governor will be better understood by ref rence to Fig. 2. As above set forth, the nut 12 is turned on the governor shaft in order to change the longitudinal position of the abutment or support member 14. It will be seen that, as the springis compressed, a greater length of the convolutions thereof will be in contact with the convolutions of the nut or support member thereby resulting in a. change in the scale of the spring.

Fig. 2 shows the governor weights in two extreme positions and in a mean position. Assumethat the governor operates at 100 R. I. M., average speed, in the intermediate or mean position, at 102 R. P. M. in the outward position and at 98 R. P. M. in the 11 porting one end of a. governor inward position. coils at R. P.

If the spring has 10 free M., and is under a pressure of 100 pounds, then at 98 R. P. M. the 1gmessure will be 96 pounds and at 102 R. M. the pressure will be lOl pounds. pressure will change 8 positions indicated.

If the spring pressure is increased to 4:00

ounds at the mean position, the corresponding s eed will be 200 R. P. M. Without my nove form of abutment, the pressure at the outer position woul be 404; pounds for a speed of 201 R. P. M. and for the inner position the pressure would be 396 pounds for a speed of 199 R. P. M. It is obvious that this is a-less speed variation than desired. Accordingly, with my novel form of supporting member for one end of the spring, the number of active coils or the active helical length, may be reduced. Withv 400 pounds pressure, the number of active coils would be reduced to one-fourth of the original number and the scale of the spring would be four times its original value so that the pressure would change 16 pounds, instead of 4 pounds, when the governor Wei hts'move between the extreme positions indicated, the speed for the outer position being 204 R. P. M. instead of 201 R. P. M., and, for the inner 196 It. P. M., instead of the same percentage ofregulation as in the case assumed above for 100 R. P. M. average speed.

It is to be understood that the speeds and pressures mentioned above are used merely for illustrative purposes to render clearer the principle of the invention.

From the above, it will be seen that my invention comprises a simple means for supspring in such a manner that when the spring has its tension changed for different speeds the number of, free coils, length, is'automatically varied in order to maintain substantially constant the percent age ofregulation for dill'erent speeds.

' While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a governor, the combination of a spindle, a plurality of weights carried by and-mounted to swing about axes which are transverse to the axis of the s indie, inwardly-projecting arms carrie by the weights, spring means cooperatingwith the inward-projecting arms to oppose the centrifugal effect of the weights, and an abut- Henbe the sprin pounds between t 1e fitisltlon, 199 R. P. thereby resulting in or the active helical ment member -for the other end of the spring, including a helical rib engaged between convolutions of the spring and decreasing in pitch in the direction away from said arms. 2. In a governor, the combination of a plurality of weights, a spring for opposing the centrifugal etl'ect of said weights, and an abutment member tor holding the spring under compression, said abutment member having a helical rib, convolutions of the spring and which decreases in pitch in the directionaway from the weights.

3. In a governor, the combination of a spindle, a supporting member carried e by t which engages between spindle, weights pivotally connected to the supporting member the weights, dle and cooperating with said arms to..oppose the centrifugal eliect of'the weights, a member cooperating with the end of the spring remote from said arms and havinga rib which engages between convolutions of the spring and which in the direction away 4. The combination with a governor hav-'.

ing centrifugal means to secure actuation of a device in one direction and a spring for securing actuation of the device in the other direction, of supporting means for one en; of the spring for holding the latter; normally under compression and havinga helical rib which is arranged between convolutions of the s ring pitch in the direction of the supporteden of the spring.

5. In a governor, the combination of centrifugal means, spring means opposing the centrifugal means, and an abutment for the spring means having convolutionsof varying pitch fitting between of the spring.

6. In a governor,'the combinationof centrifugal means, a helical spring. of uniform pitch opposing the centrifu a1 means, means for adjusting the tension o the spring, and. means for supporting stantially constant percentage of; regulation.

is of decreasing .pitch from said arms, and adjustable means carried by the spindle and for. main-.

and which decreasesmthe convolutions her with convolutions o about axes which area transverse with respect to the axis of'the. spindle, inwardly-extending arms carried by I a spring surroundingthe spin Ill:

8. In a governor, the combination of a shaft, centrifugal means, and a spring, a supporting member surrounding the shaft for one end of the spring and having con- 5 volutions of varying pitch fitting between the convolutions of the spring, and means carried by the shaft and acting on the member to secure diflerent degrees of compression of the spring, the point of support of the spring changing along the convolutions 10 of the member as the compression is varied. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23d day of November, 1920.

' WARREN B. FLANDERS. 

